Preikestolen

Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is probably the most recognised tourist attraction of Stavanger region. It is also easily accessible comparing to other popular mountain destinations. It is hiked by close to 200,000 people every year! The cliff hangs 604 metres above Lysefjorden and offers scenic views in good weather conditions or gloomy looks on rainy days. A ‘must-see’ if you are visiting Rogaland!

If you are an expat here, this is the place to take all your visiting friends and family to. During my life in Stavanger I have probably been to Preikestolen enough times to be able to walk up and down blindfolded 🙂 Although the path is definitely overloaded with tourism for a hiking trip, Preikestolen offers a unique view to Lysefjord and opportunity to take amazing pictures. Even visiting many times, it is hard to get bored, as the elements make sure you see different scenery every time you go. See some of the moods of Pulpit Rock captured in our shots in the gallery below.

How to get there?

During the season (which starts in mid-April and lasts until the end of September), there is an organized transport from Stavanger centre that includes ferry from Stavanger to Tau and bus from Tau to the start of the trail. The tickets can be booked here.

If you have your own car, you can take the ferry from Stavanger to Tau ( Ferry schedule ) and then continue on the road Rv 13 (National Tourist Route Ryfylke) through Jørpeland to Preikestolen (follow the signs). It is also possible to get there from the other side, crossing with a ferry from Lauvvik to Oanes (Ferry schedule can be found here ). In both cases, you will have to leave the car on a parking that costs about 150 NOK per day.

The hike

The hike itself is not very difficult and takes approximately 3-4h (return). However, you will have to climb approximately 350m. The path is steep in places, but recently there have been efforts to put many amenities to make the climb easier and accessible for a wider range of public. Although the path is well marked and maintained, remember that you need to be prepared for a mountain hike and changing weather conditions! Be careful in the beginning and end of the season, as there may still be patched of snow and ice.

See the attached sketch of the path to know what to expect.

There are several points along the way where you can stop for a snack or even camp. Although there is a lot of drinking water in most of the Norwegian mountains, I would recommend you to carry your own supply on this trip due to the heavy tourist traffic.

For the more enthusiastic hikers there is an opportunity to extend the Preikestolen trip to continue the path around Lysefjorden through Songesand and Lysebotn to Kjerag and Flørli.